How a PhD Student Discovered a Lost Mayan City From Hundreds of Miles Away
Briefly

The settlement, named Valeriana after a nearby freshwater lagoon, features classic Maya architecture including plazas, pyramids, and a ball court, dating back to before 150 AD.
Luke Auld-Thomas's discovery of Valeriana through lidar technology marks a significant advancement in archaeology, enabling researchers to uncover hidden sites beneath dense vegetation.
The challenges faced in the past, such as accessing Tikal's site amid the dense rainforest, highlight how technologies like lidar can redefine archaeological exploration.
Lidar has transformed archaeology; it allows us to scan vast areas from afar, revealing ancient ruins previously concealed by nature or urban development.
Read at WIRED
[
|
]